Joe Biden becomes first U.S. President ever to turn 80 whilst in office

Nov 20 2022

Joe Biden has officially become the first president in the United States’ history to turn 80 whilst in office, celebrating his birthday today.

Biden was elected back in January 2020, with 58-year-old Vice President Kamala Harris also become the highest-ranking female official in the history of the United States.

For some context, Biden won his first-ever Senate race in 1972, a time when Barack Obama was 11 years old and Vice President Harris was 8.

If the POTUS were to pursue a second term in office, a prospect which seems more than likely, he would be 86 by the time his term comes to an end.

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: ABC News

European teams to wear ‘OneLove’ rainbow armband despite FIFA’s request for alternatives

Nov 20 2022

Following a number of European teams’ initiative to wear ‘OneLove’ rainbow armbands at the Qatar World Cup, FIFA has responded by suggesting a number of different armbands with different social causes.

In reaction to the Qatar’s treatment of LGBTQ communities, where homosexuality is in fact illegal, team captains from England, Germany, Denmark and more opted to wear the rainbow armband in order to promote diversity and inclusion.

In a United Nations-backed campaign, FIFA has requested that armbands with promotional messages like “Share the meal” and “Football unites the world” are worn, stating “each round of matches will be associated with its own dedicated campaign design to maximise reach and impact.”

With the huge global competition set to kick off today, the World Cup has been met with its fair share of controversy due to Qatar’s human rights violations and other issues.

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: CBS Sports / The Sun

You could earn €30,000 by moving to this Italian town

Nov 19 2022

It’s not the first one to try it out, but the picturesque Italian town of Presicce is paying people up to €30,000 to move to this Puglia situated region.

Towns across Italy have been racing to launch clever schemes aimed at luring in new residents, very often to revive old towns with ageing populations.

Competition has been fierce, with homes selling for little more than a dollar to ready-to-occupy houses offered at very cheap prices. Presicce is the next one to join the ranks in this race towards residency.

The houses up for sale as part of the deal are priced from around €25,000 and have been long abandoned by their original owners. But what might convince movers might be the location itself.

Presicce boasts turquoise clear waters of Santa Maria di Leuca, situated at the heel of Italy’s boot. Authorities hope that the offer of a cash incentive will breathe new life into their depopulating town.

To qualify for the 30,000-euro incentive, buyers must take up residency in Presicce and purchase one of a selection of properties built before 1991, which have been mapped by authorities.

The town has earned the reputation of Puglia’s city of green gold due to its lush olive groves that yield premium extra virgin olive oil. It also boasts a long history which new residents will have plenty of time to explore.

#MaltaDaily

World Cup fans housed in shipping containers in middle of desert

Nov 19 2022

As fans make their way to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, the rush to find accommodation is likely to heat up given that Qatar is set to welcome an estimated 1.5 million fans over the month long tournament.

However, the problem of accommodation is further increased by the fact that the peninsula host is the smallest in World Cup history.

So, a total of 30,000 rooms have been erected in the desert for the influx of fans, and they look a whole lot like shipping containers. The temporary residency set up for 60,000 fans are being called college dorm rooms.

The problems will seemingly arise by the fact that these cramped rooms, paired with uninsulated steel or wooden structures are built for an event in the desert.

Interior photos of the rooms show no evidence of cooling, outside of a simple blind over the room’s lone window. Accuweather is showing temperatures this month hitting the highs of 93 and lows of 68.

It remains to be seen how well the dorms will be able to dissipate the heat. The rooms come with a small bathroom and a miniature fridge. That’s because fans will mostly be out and about.

They can watch the games at outdoor viewing areas with beanbag seating if they don’t have tickets or make use of the few designated zones where visitors can consume alcohol. What makes or breaks this is the execution. We’ll just have to wait and see.

#MaltaDaily